Police now want new reservists

2015-03-23

Dr Pieter Groenewald

The moratorium on the recruitment of reservists for the Police has been lifted from January 2015. The minister of Police, Nathi Nhleko, said in a reply to a question in Parliament of Dr. Pieter Groenewald of the Freedom Front Plus that the Police was now recruiting reservists. At present there are 18 026 reservists in the Police. Four provinces, the Western Cape, Northern Cape, Mpumalanga and the Eastern Cape had been identified as pilot provinces for the first recruitment. Further recruitment drives will be launched later in the 2015/2016 financial year.

“The four categories of reservists have been reduced to two. It is detrimental to rural security because the one category which had specifically been established for it has now fallen away. The focus is now being broadened and is no longer specifically focused on rural security. This is not in line with the National Development Plan,” Dr. Pieter Groenewald, the FF Plus’ chief spokesperson on the Police said.

“Furthermore, strict requirements are being set to qualify for a reservist’s position, but the question is whether it can be applied in practice. One requirement is that one is not allowed to have any criminal record, but there are currently full time members of the Police with criminal records and no proper action is taken against them.

“There are also certain categories of persons who are not allowed to become police reservists. Journalists, members of the private security industry, bouncers at clubs, officials of political parties, scholars, members of towing services, people involved in operating a scrap-yard, the taxi industry etc. as well as unemployed people do not qualify. One also does not qualify if one has a tattoo which will be visible if the person wears a uniform.

“South African citizens between the ages of 25 and 40 years, who have a matriculation certificate or something similar may apply and should be medically, mentally and physically fit. Former members of the Police, whose application for re-appointment had been rejected due to negative considerations, may also not apply.

“These requirements create the impression that persons with an impeccable character are sought for reservist positions, but the Police is struggling to get rid of its criminals who are full time in their midst and that is a pity,” Groenewald said.

(1) Whether, since his response to question 490 on 1 August 2013, any further moratorium has been placed on reservists signing on with the SA Police Service (SAPS); if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the relevant details;

(2) what criteria have to be met by persons wishing to join the reservists of the SAPS;

(3) will reservists be compensated for their services; if so, what remuneration will be paid to the reservists;

(4) how many reservists are there in each category in the service of the SAPS;

(5) whether he will make a statement on the matter?

NW560E

REPLY:

(1) No, a further moratorium was not placed on reservists joining the South African Reserve Police Service. The South African Police Service has commenced with the implementation of the revised reservist system and the first recruitment drive was implemented in January 2015. The following four Provinces were prioritised as pilot provinces for the first recruitment drive:

Western Cape

Northern Cape

Mpumalanga

Eastern Cape

An additional recruitment drive will be announced during the latter part of the 2015/2016 financial year. The South African Police Service will in future only implement two structured recruitment drives. The recruitment of reservists will be focused on quality and not quantity, and will further be aligned with the available resources and capacity to ensure improved conditions of utilisation, enhanced standards and optimal utilisation.

(2) The South African Reserve Police Service Amendment Regulations: GNR 765 of 15 October 2013 determines that for an applicant to be appointed as a reservist, such an applicant must comply with the following basic enlistment requirements:

Must be a South African Citizen by birth.

Must be at least 25 and below 40 years of age of which documentary proof must be furnished.

Must complete a health questionnaire determined by the National Commissioner which as his or her own costs, is confirmed by a registered medical practitioner.

Must be medically, mentally and physically fit to perform the duties of a reservist.

Be of good and sound character, for which positive background enquiries must be obtained.

Fit the psychometric profile and has successfully completed any other test that may be determined by the National Commissioner.

Must be in possession of at least a senior certificate (Grade 12) or has successfully completed a SAQA accredited NQF level 4 qualification of which documentary proof must be provided.

Must be able to speak, read and write at least two official languages, of which one must be English.

Must allow his or her fingerprints and DNA sample to be taken.

Be prepared to undergo such training as may be determined by the National Commissioner.

Be prepared to take the prescribed oath of office.

Understands that his or her services may be terminated at the age of 60.

Complete an assessment questionnaire.

Be vetted or screened.

Be employed and provides proof of employment.

Provide proof of his or her residential address.

Not have a criminal record or any criminal or departmental cases pending against him or her (all criminal or departmental cases must be declared).

Not have a tattoo which will be visible if the person wears a uniform.

In addition to the above certain categories of applicants may not be appointed as reservists. The following categories of persons may not be appointed as a reservist if he or she:-

was discharged as medically unfit from a previous employer;

is a former member of the Police whose application for re-enlistment was rejected due to negative considerations;

is a member of the Regular Force of the National Defence Force referred to in section 52 of the Defence Act, 2002 (Act 42 of 2002);

holds a key position as determined by the Department of Labour;

holds any post or office in a political party, organisation, movement or body;

is actively involved in politics or who is an outspoken supporter of a political party and who may violate the non-partisan nature of the Police;

is a full-time or part-time journalist;

does not have a fixed residential address;

is not in full-time employment;

is a scholar;

is a bouncer or chucker-out;

is a member of a municipal police service (including a local law enforcement officer);

is a sheriff or deputy sheriff;

is in any manner connected to a brothel, escort agency or any other undertaking which:

remunerates persons to perform sexual acts or striptease dancing, or serve as waiters or waitresses while naked or semi- naked;

supplies persons to clients for purposes of allowing such clients to perform sexual acts with such persons;

sells, distributes or promotes any form of pornographic material or sexual aid (other than a sexual aid prescribed by a medical practitioner); or

is involved in the taking of or posing for pornographic photographs or the making of pornographic sketches, films, videos or computer readable material;

is in any manner connected to a business or industry which has contracted with or submitted a tender to the State to render a service or to supply a product to the Police;

is in any manner whatsoever involved in —

the private security industry (whether as director, partner or employee);

the taxi industry (this includes but is not limited to, the operation of a taxi service by the person himself or herself, or by employing another person, or the performance of remunerative work for a taxi association, group of taxi owners or operators or for a single taxi owner or operator);

the trade of liquor or the keeping of a tavern or shebeen;

the preparation or completion of applications for liquor licences;

private investigation services (this includes, but is not limited to, performing tracing work as a tracing agent, money lender, debt collector or financial institution, the performance of private detective work, interception of communications or the planting of electronic bugging devices;

the operation of a scrap yard (whether as owner or employee);

the micro lending services;

conducting the business of trading in second-hand goods;

the tow-in or breakdown service industry (this includes, but is not limited to, the operation of a tow-in or breakdown service by the person himself or herself or through another person, or the performance of remunerative work for an association of persons or entities operating tow-in or breakdown services, a group of persons or entities operating tow-in or breakdown services or for a single tow-in or breakdown service owner or operator;

the gambling industry;

the preparation or completion of applications for firearm licences;

the rendering of a physical security service;

insurance investigations and investigations on behalf of agencies handling claims against the Road Accident Fund;

serving of court process, excluding the serving of summonses in civil cases;

trading in livestock, excluding such trading as part of bona fide farming activities; or

the business of a funeral undertaker.

The following persons may be appointed as reservists, but subject to the following conditions:

A Community Police Forum member while he or she does not serve on a Community Police Board or on the Executive Committee of a Community Police Forum;

an official or employee of Transnet, with the written approval of his or her head of department;

a member of Correctional Services —

if his or her duties as reservist will not interfere with his or her normal work activities;

the interests of the Department of Correctional Services will at all times be served first; and

may not be called-up in terms of regulation 5 of the Regulations without the permission of the Department of Correctional Services;

Public Service Act personnel employed by the Police, if they perform their duties as reservists outside their normal working hours;

an employee of a municipality including a member of the emergency services —

if his or her duties as reservist will not interfere with his or her normal work activities;

the interests of the municipality will at all times be served first; and

may not be called up in terms of regulation 5 of the Regulations without the permission of the said municipality, and

a reserve member of the National Defence Force —

if his or her duties as reserve will not interfere with his or her normal work activities;

the interests of the National Defence Force will at all times be served first; and

may not be called-up in terms of regulation 5 of the Regulations without the permission of the National Defence Force.

(3) The reservist system is a voluntary system and reservists perform duties without any remuneration in general. However, in terms of the South African Reserve Police Service Amendment Regulations: GNR 765 of 15 October 2013, the National Commissioner may, if he or she deems it necessary in order to achieve the objectives referred to in Section 205 (3) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996 (Act No, 108 of 1996), call up reservists to perform specific duties for which they may be remunerated.

(4) The following number of active reservists per category is currently on the strength of the South African Police Service:

CATEGORY

TOTAL

Category A

7103

Category B

315

Category C

73

Category D

10 535

TOTAL

18 026

The South African Police Service is currently in process of aligning the former categories of reservists to the categories as determined in National Instruction 2/2014, where after the system will be updated accordingly.